


The Bonds We Create Follow Us Into Eternity

by TheOrgasmicSeke



Series: Armin Appreciation Week [4]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Armin and his pokemon, Bonds, Light Angst, M/M, Pokemon AU, Pokemon Battle, Pokemon Journey, Polyamory, armin appreciation week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-29
Updated: 2015-06-29
Packaged: 2018-04-06 21:24:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4237182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOrgasmicSeke/pseuds/TheOrgasmicSeke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes in life we meet people that we create unbreakable bonds with. Sometimes, those bonds expand over time and space. Sometimes those bonds are staring you right in the nose and you hardly notice it. Sometimes, bonds bring us together in ways we never thought possible before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Bonds We Create Follow Us Into Eternity

**Author's Note:**

> Armin Arlert Appreciation Week: Day 4 - Bonds
> 
> So far, this is the one I am the most proud of. Honestly. 
> 
> Enjoy!

The outskirt of Snowpoint city was covered in snow, just as much as the city was bound to be. Armin could see his breath come out in puffs that rose to the sky, proving how cold it really was. The snow was soft beneath his boots but the cold seeped into his colorful sweater and chilled his bones. He hugged himself a little tighter as he leaned against a tree, his eyes scanning the area around him for anything out of the ordinary.

A Bunnelby stuck its nose out from under a bush but that was all Armin saw before it curled back inside the warmth. He smiled fondly as he rose his eyes to the tree, scanning over the snow riddled branches. There was a silence around him that only a freshly fallen snow could provide. He'd never seen snow until now and he found he liked it. The cold was something to get used to but the silence was comforting in a way.

He shivered again, gaining the attention of Gallade. The pokemon stared at him for a moment before taking the point of one of his blade's and tapping it against Armin's belt where he held all of his pokeballs. Armin arched a brow at his pokemon though he didn't need to question to know what Gallade was referring to. He had put away the rest of his pokemon since the cold struck them, to keep them safe and warm and yet, Gallade preferred to stay out of his ball at his trainers side.

"Jean and Eren should return soon." Armin pointed out, rubbing his bare hands over his shoulders. "I thought I was well-prepared for this trip but I didn't take into account such a dramatic weather change."

Gallade made a soft noise in his throat before he pressed to Armin's side, sharing the warmth he was willing to offer. The blond smiled softly and settled against the pokemon's side, enjoying the warmth. Yet, it wasn't enough. He shivered when a wind blew, cutting through every layer of clothing he wore and made him wince.

Gallade was in no way happy with this. Using the point of one of his arm blades he pressed the buttons of the pokeballs around Armin's waist and released the three other pokemon the blond had on hand.

"Gallade!" Armin snapped softly, standing up straight as lights flashed and he was greeted with his team. "I just got them back and I'd rather them not freeze."

Gallade crossed his arms and tilted his head up in a way of saying he knew exactly what he was doing.

Jolteon and Flareon glanced about the snow in confusion before giving their trainer attention. Both had been in the care of the professor for a while in his means of researching whether or not Eevee evolutions had another way to evolve. Seeing as they did not, Armin was gifted with his pokemon again at the last pokemon center.

Jolteon growled softly as sparks flared along his fur before he shifted to curl up around Armin's feet. The blond blinked in surprise but couldn't say a word considering Flareon decided it was a good idea to jump in the air and make her trainer catch her. Armin caught her effortlessly and was greeted with such a warmth it made him shiver.

"Oh." He smiled softly, petting her fur gently as he glanced at Gallade while Sableye waddled over. "I see what you want."

Gallade nodded and pressed to Armin's side once again, offering a warmth they could all share against the cold.

By the time Jean and Eren returned they were greeted with the most adorable sight that made them pause and wonder if they were in some cute pokemon show.

Gallade sat with his back against the tree with Armin curled up in his lap. Curled up in Armin's lap was Flareon with Jolteon and Sableye curled up at his sides. The blond was using Flareon's warm head as a pillow and he was fast asleep. Neither trainer had the heart to wake the boy so they settled with his pokemon, ready to wait until they could move on to the city not too far away.

* * *

For most of his life, Armin only had pokemon and his grandfather to rely on. As a child, his parents were always traveling and his grandfather's Eevee was his best friend. He didn't get along well with the other children in town because they saw him as a know-it-all and a nerd. Armin knew he liked different things than most other kids but it never hurt any less when he wasn't invited to play with the other children.

So he relied on pokemon for companion ship. Eevee was a great friend to him. She played with him and showed him all the wonderful things in the pokemon world. Because of her, he saw things most children would never see. Like pokemon in the wild. He wanted to protect them. To keep them safe and happy, as they always were.

When he set out on his pokemon journey with his grandfather's Eevee at his side, Armin was sure he could make a difference in the world. But his journey was cut much too short with the news of his parent's sunken ship. He returned home to his grandfather and never doubted the choices he made to remain by his side.

Armin was never like children his own age and never expected to be. Pokemon were his friends and though he wouldn't mind a human companion other than his grandfather, he was content with his life. Soon, he gained his first pokemon; Sableye. And then came Ralts. Then, by chance, his grandfather's Eevee had an egg. Armin was gifted with the egg that eventually became his Jolteon. Jolteon then fell in love with a beautiful Eevee that soon became his Flareon as well. He had a loving team that meant the world to him and he was more than okay with that.

Then Jean came along. The brash young man who challenged him without a second thought. Battling was never something Armin had intended for his pokemon but they loved battling with him. He did whatever he could to keep them happy, even if that meant battling them. Jean lost their battle; his Gengar taking a massive hit from Gallade that knocked him out.

Armin was sure that would be the last he saw of Jean Kirschtein but he was wrong.

Jean continued to pop into his life and before he knew it, he had a friend on his hands. A friend who admired the way he was with his pokemon and wanted Armin to teach him his ways. Jean had dreams of becoming a pokemon master, as most young people did but Jean actually had the skills to accomplish it. Armin had agreed to help if only for the reason that he could continue to see Jean in his life.

Jean was someone Armin cherished. He was someone he never thought he would have and yet, he did. He was grateful. Jean was his first real human friend and though Armin would never admit it to the honey-eyed man, he cherished him deeper than he ever expected.

And it wasn't like Armin was oblivious to the world around him. Yes, he enjoyed spending his time thinking about and researching pokemon but of course he noticed the way Jean looked at him. How could he not? Every time those honey eyes were on him, Armin could feel the heat sink into his skin. He was sure Jean had no idea Armin knew, for he never brought it up, but he knew and he had no idea what to do with the information.

It was not as if Jean's affections were not returned. Armin cherished the man. He wanted nothing more than to see Jean succeed and be happy in life. He wanted to help Jean accomplish his dreams and be all that he could be. He wanted Jean to keep smiling because that smile gave him hope, no matter how much it made his heart race.

Armin was lost in a book when Jean's soft voice startled him. He glanced up, eyes slightly wide at the male lingering near the edge of his bed. Jean offered him a soft smile and when he motioned to the empty spot at Armin's side, the blond nodded, inviting him to join him.

"What are you doing up?" Jean asked softly, settling beside Armin so he could peer at the book in his hands.

"I couldn't sleep." He admitted softly, lowering his eyes to the book in his lap, illuminated by the soft moonlight coming in from the window. "Did I wake you?"

"No. Eren kicks in his sleep." Jean grumbled softly, casting a glare at the slumbering brunet curled on the floor a few feet away.

"I told you I didn't have to take the bed." Armin started, closing his book as he met Jean's eyes.

Jean shrugged, waving his hand as if to brush the whole matter under the table. They argued enough about it already and he didn't see a point in bringing it up again. "What were you reading?"

"Just, something." The blond flushed slightly as he covered the book with his hands.

"Uh-Huh." A smirk curled to Jean's lips as he leaned closer to Armin, trying to get a better look at the book. "Was it naughty?"

Armin gasped softly, his eyes going wide and his face flushing. "Jean." He hissed softly.

A low rumble of a laugh came from Jean's throat. "Is it?" He wiggled his eyebrows in a ridiculous way that made Armin laugh softly.

"No, you butt. It was about the reproduction nature of pokemon." He offered the book to Jean who took it with an arched eyebrow.

"You just called me a butt."

"Considering fuckface is Eren's affectionate term for you, I thought that would be appropriate."

Jean snorted softly as he put the book away on the side table. "Affectionate? You really misunderstand our relationship."

"I don't believe I do. You two are very close. You spend a lot of time talking to one another and trying to figure out which are the best ways to get stronger. I heard the two of you talking earlier about his best strategy to win his next and last badge."

Jean flushed softly, a warm color along the bridge of his nose. "You saw that?"

Armin smiled knowingly. "You two act as if you don't like one another but I can see the complete opposite of that is true."

"Jeeze." Jean rubbed the back of his neck, finger brushing over short strands of hair as he glanced at Armin from the corner of his eye. "That's embarrassing."

"I'm glad you two are such great friends."

Jean grumbled under his breath and when he tilted to the side, pressing his shoulder against Armin's, the blond flushed ever so slightly. "Yeah, thanks." He lolled his head to the side, letting it knock against Armin's gently. "We're good friends too, you know."

The blond's flush darkened and his heart picked up pace, sending waves of warmth along his skin. "Yes, I know."

"I'm glad I met you." Jean spoke softly, his eyes focused on the outside view from the window as Armin leaned their heads together. "Before, I was so focused on my dream I couldn't really see all the mistakes I was making. You helped me realized that the most important thing was my pokemon. As long as I took good care of them and loved them, I could do anything I possibly wanted." A fond smile curled to his lips.

"I'm happy I could do that for you."

Jean nodded, pulling away only slightly so he could look fully at Armin. "You were there for me when I lost my mom and I don't think I could ever thank you enough for that."

Armin smiled warmly, shifting to rest his head on Jean's shoulder. He couldn't look the man in the eye right now and he wasn't even sure why. "I lost my parents too, So I knew how it felt. I wouldn't be a good friend if I was not there for you when you needed someone most."

"You're a great friend, Armin." Jean whispered softly, tilting his head to press his lips into Armin's hair.

The blond's heart lept into his throat but he swallowed hard in an attempt to push it down. "You were the first friend I made." He admitted softly, his cheeks and ears flushing a dark color. "So, I cherish you quite a lot."

Jean made a soft happy noise in his throat and as his hand shifted, moving between them so it could cover Armin's hand in his lap, the blond was certain he was going to faint from the blood rushing through his ears. "I cherish you too, Armin."

"Oh my maker you sappy idiots." Eren groaned from the floor. "We all cherish each other." He grabbed onto the edge of the bed and pulled himself up, his eyes droopy and his lips a teasing smile. "But one of us is tired and you two are being too cute to ignore."

"I'm sorry, Eren." Armin lifted his head, his expression apologetic. "We didn't mean to wake you."

"You kicked me asshole." Was all Jean had to say on the matter.

Eren perked a brow before a smirk curled to his lips. "Good." He crawled his way onto the bed and didn't hesitate to plop himself over Armin's legs so his head was in the blond's lap. "Now shut up and let the big kids sleep." He mumbled, letting his eyes slip closed as he used Armin's thigh as a pillow.

"So rude." Jean rolled his eyes, a smirk tugging on his lips. "How is Armin supposed to sleep like that?"

"Comfy." Eren mumbled.

"I do believe we can all share this bed, if placed properly." At his words, Armin was greeted with equally surprised honey and turquoise eyes. "If you'd like..."

"I call Armin." Eren stated.

"What? You can't do that asshole."

"Already did." Eren stated smugly, securing his arms around Armin's waist.

"Um, I could be in the middle?" Armin offered.

"Yeah." Jean nodded.

"That works."

After a good deal of shifting around and an accidental nudge to Jean's ribs by Eren, the trio settled in the bed originally made for one. It was a tight fit but with Armin in the middle, he found he'd never been so comfortable in his life. He laid on his back, with Eren to his left and Jean to his right. Both laid on their sides, facing him and they all shared a pillow. The blanket was warm and the warmth between them was even better. Eren's hand curled around Armin's waist, hooking onto his hip to keep him close while Jean's hand was secured in one of Armin's.

Armin felt safe and loved, with his friends around him and his pokemon not too far away. He fell asleep to the lull of the comforting warmth around him.

* * *

There was something special about Eren Jeager.

He was a talented man, with the ability to do something great with his life. He was bright and full of affection that he was willing to give at any moment. He cherished his pokemon as if they were family and learned from the mistakes he had made. His smile was like a beam of sunlight, always reaching is stunning eyes and never failing in making Armin smile as well.

But there were sides to Eren that Armin was still learning. The male was new to him and though Jean had known Eren for a long time, Armin was still getting to know the brunet. He enjoyed Eren's company, of course, and he also loved how eager the brunet was to learn anything that may help him improve the well-being of his pokemon. But there was something about Eren that Armin could not exactly figure out.

It was not as if Eren did anything strange or different. But there were times when Armin was left feeling as if he'd known the brunet his entire life, and perhaps beyond that. There were times when Eren would simply lean against his side and the warmth was so familiar it made his stomach twist. Or times when those eyes made him feel like there was no place else he was supposed to be.

Jean made him feel cared for.

Eren, made him feel like he belonged.

It was a strange feeling; to belong.

Honestly, Armin had never known it was something he was missing until Eren came along.

Armin's desire to always travel and see the world was something he thought foolish as a child. He thought he only had that desire because that was exactly what his parents were able to do, and he was not. The desire remained even after he lost them and yet, he stayed at home, never exploring the way he always wanted to.

And then there was Eren. The boy who grew up just like Armin, with the strong desires to explore Sinnoh and the regions beyond. To go on adventures with his pokemon and see the world beyond the walls of his village. And Eren fought for his dreams. He pushed hard to get where he was, to explore all of Sinnoh and see sights he had dreamed of since a child.

Eren was who Armin had wished to be.

And yet, being with him, seeing him for who he was and learning about him, Armin found Eren wasn't who he wished to be but who Armin wished to be  _with_. He wanted to stay by the brunet's side. To see Eren's dreams come true and explore with him. He wanted to see the highest mountains and the deepest oceans with Eren at his side. Because he felt it would mean much more if they did it together.

Eren didn't have to do much. But with a soft smile and warm strong arms, he made Armin feel like he finally belonged somewhere.

So when Eren broke, Armin felt it deep in his core.

It was unexpected.

Eren wanted to test Haxorus out. To make sure he was prepared for his upcoming gym battle and he felt Armin was the best opponent. He demanded Armin not hold back so the blond did as was asked of him. But Jolteon struck Haxorus down and though the blow was not life threatening, it made Eren scream.

Armin froze, along with Jolteon, as Eren abandoned the battle and ran to Haxorus' side. The dragon-type made noises to assure his trainer that he was fine but there were tears in Eren's eyes that made Armin's heart sink. He had done that. He had hurt Eren without trying to and it made him sick.

"Shit." Eren cursed softly, running his hand over were Jolteon's attack hit. "I'm sorry. Shit, I should pay more attention. You can't keep getting hurt like this." Haxorus responded with soft noises as he got to his knees, showing his trainer he really was fine. Just lost his balance was all.

"Eren..." Armin swallowed hard and approached his fellow trainer tentatively. "I'm sorry."

"No, don't." Eren shook his head and moved to his feet, wiping at his eyes in an attempt to hide what emotion he could. "I just, this shouldn't happen. I have to be better. I have to do better."

"Eren, you're doing great-"

"No!" He snapped suddenly, startling Armin and his pokemon. There was a fire in those turquoise eyes like Armin had never seen. "He shouldn't get hurt! Not like this! Not again. He shouldn't..." That fire died almost instantly when he realized what he was doing. He was yelling. At Armin. At the one person who was always patient and kind with him. The one person who understood him. "Fuck. I'm sorry." He cursed under his breath softly and glanced away, gritting his jaw so hard Armin could see it tense.

Armin swallowed hard and squared his shoulders before he approached Eren. His hand was gentle when it landed on the brunet's bicep and he leaned up, peering into a face that refused to look at him.

"It's okay, Eren." Armin started, reaching up with his other hand to hold both of Eren's biceps. "I understand it is frustrating. But you know that when it comes to battling, there will always be the chance of your pokemon getting hurt."

"Yours don't." He mumbled, his eyes still focused on the ground and he sounded a bit resentful.

Armin's grip tightened on his arms. "That doesn't mean they haven't before. You are putting way too much pressure on yourself as a trainer, Eren."

"I can't... I can't let it happen again."

"I know." Armin's voice softened as he took a step forward, tilting his head back to meet those stunning eyes that were finally willing to look at him. "And you won't, Eren. Remember, it's not just you in the battle. You need to have faith in Haxorus; in _all_  of your pokemon. They love you and will do whatever they can to make you proud. You just have to know when enough is enough." He smiled tenderly. "And you  _do_  know, Eren. Have faith in what you've learned and your pokemon. I have faith in you."

Eren's face contorted for a second and the pain his eyes made Armin want nothing more than to take it away. But that pain subsided and Eren glanced at him unsure. "You do?"

"I do." Armin nodded firmly. "You were a strong trainer when I first met you and now, you've grown even more. I admire you, Eren. I admire that you can get knocked down only to get right back up and learn from the mistakes you made. Not everyone can do that. I... I'm proud of you Eren and I'm proud to call you my friend."

Eren's face fell, showing a vulnerability Armin didn't think him possible of but when the brunet moved forward and slipped his arms around his waist, Armin wasn't the least bit worried. He smiled warmly, wrapping his arms around Eren's shoulders as they held one another, Eren's head buried in his neck.

"I'm proud to call you my friend too, Armin." Eren mumbled softly, his warm breath cascading over Armin's pale skin. "I... I wouldn't be where I am right now without you. You've been so kind to me and... You're amazing. You're smart and strong and always know exactly how to get yourself and your pokemon out of anything. I admire you, Armin. I admire you more than I think you know." He squeezed the blond tighter, not noticing the dark flush on pale round cheeks. "I... I'm so happy to be with you. I feel like... Like I belong." Armin closed his eyes tightly, not realizing when he squeezed Eren back just a bit harder. "I don't really have anything to offer you, as a person," Eren mumbled, pulling back to meet those stunning sapphire eyes, a warm smile on his lips and his tanned cheeks flushed darkly, "but I hope I can always stay beside you."

"Silly." Armin mumbled, reaching up to pat Eren's cheek gently. "Of course you'll stay by my side. You have plenty to offer; please don't put yourself down like that."

"I'll stay as long as you'll have me." That smile reached his eyes and filled Armin with warmth as the brunet leaned down to brush their noses together.

"Dork."

Eren crinkled his nose. "You've been spending too much time with Jean."

Armin laughed softly. "Since when are you two allowed to use affectionate names and I am not?"

"Fuckface is not affectionate." Eren grumbled, keeping their noses pressed together.

"Of course it's not."

"If you must call me something affectionate, call me baby or something." He said with a shrug.

Sapphire widened as a flush curled over his nose. "B-Baby?"

"Mhm?"

"Oh, Eren, That's- Oh my."

The brunet snickered softly and nuzzled their noses together. "See, it fits."

"That's.. I'm not entirely sure."

"You don't have to." And yet, his eyes looked so hopeful.

"I quite like dork, because you are one." Armin pointed out, making Eren's nose crinkle. "But I suppose, in the right settling, the other one applies."

"That's settled then." Eren grinned and after planting a kiss to Armin's cheek, he pulled away and open his arms wide. "Okay. Let's try this again. Are you ready Haxorus?"

The pokemon let out a roar of approval that made Armin chuckle. Eren's ability to bounce back was something Armin admired and as he returned to his spot across the field, he knew he would always get the chance to continue admiring his friend. Up close and personal.

* * *

"If you keep looking at him like that, he's going to notice." Eren's voice cut through Jean's thoughts like a knife, slicing them in two and leaving him scrambling to pick up the pieces. So he could only look up at Eren with a confused look on his face as he tried to get his thought train back on track.

"What?"

Turquoise rolled as Eren moved to sit down on the log beside Jean. "Keep it in your pants dude."

Shame flared over Jean's face and he sat up straight, tugging his eyes away from the beautiful blond a little bit away from them. "Shut up."

Eren shrugged, putting his hands on the log behind him as he leaned back slightly, tossing one leg over the other and kicking one heel against the ground. "Look, I get it. I really do. But do you  _want_ him to know you're drooling over him?"

"Shut up, Jeager." Jean warned softly.

"I'm not teasing you." Eren leaned over, a serious expression on his face. "I'm serious."

"The hell do you care?"

Eren snorted, nudging their shoulders together. "Don't play stupid. Think you're the only one who looks at him like that? Every damn person we come across just drools over him. Whether it's cause of his pokemon knowledge or how attractive he is." His brow furrowed. "It's slightly annoying."

"You're one of those people, asshole." Jean pointed out.

Eren shrugged, tossing his gaze to the blond who was busy running a brush over Vulpix's fur. The other pokemon surrounded him, lined up and ready for their turn to be brushed by Armin's talented hands. Well, the ones that had fur anyway. "I didn't say I wasn't."

"Then what  _are_ you saying?"

"I'm saying we both have a common goal that we should work together toward."

"Are we... Talking about Armin?"

"Yeah." Eren glanced at him. "What else would we be talking about?"

"You said the same exact thing to me years ago about being champion."

"Oh. Yeah, I did." Eren blinked before shrugging it off. "You get my point."

"Armin isn't a goal, asshole."

"I know that, fuckface." Eren hissed back, turning his full attention to the man beside him. "I'm just saying, why fight each other when we can work together? On  _this_. Not the other stuff. This isn't a truce or some bullshit."

Honey eyes narrowed as they searched Eren's face for any signs of insincerity. He found none. "I'm not competing with you over him."

Eren groaned. "That's not what-I'm not asking to  _compete_. I said let's work together."

Jean perked a brow. "You mean... together? All of us.  _Together_."

"Yeah. You make it sound so impossible." Eren sat up straight, folding his hands in his lap.

Jean flicked a hand between them. "You realize that means  _this_  would be a thing, right?"

"Since when are we  _not_ a thing? Like I'm the only one who remembers that time in Old Chateau ."

Jean's face flushed a dark color that made Eren smirk. "You just had to bring that up."

"Oh come on." He nudged Jean's arm, his eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. "Tell me it's a horrible idea."

"It's a horrible idea." Jean replied, flatly.

"Fuck you."

"Okay look," Jean sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before he dared another peek at Armin, "What your suggesting is just... it's weird okay. Really weird."

"But not impossible." Eren encouraged.

"No, not impossible. Really, it depends on... what Armin wants. And he's happy, okay. He's happy with how we are right now and I don't want to mess that up."

"Jean, this is  _Armin_  we're talking about." Eren placed a hand on Jean's shoulder, leaning in closer. "Smartest guy we know. Of course he knows how we look at him. He's not oblivious."

Jean sighed softly, glancing up at the blond once more with a defeated look on his face. After he said nothing for about a minute Eren let out a sigh and squeezed his shoulder.

"Just think about it, okay? I'm not in on this if you're not. Like hell I'll ever be called a cheater." He leaned close enough so his lips could brush over Jean's cheek before he was gone.

Jean flushed darkly, rubbing at his cheek with his palm as he watched Eren join Armin, a bright smile on his face that made the blond smile in a way Jean had never seen before Eren came into their lives. Before, that smile made a bubble of jealousy burn in his stomach but now, now that they had traveled together for a few months, he found that smile to be a gift. A gift Eren was giving him through Armin. They both looked beautiful like that, smiling and talking softly together as they set to work brushing the coats of their pokemon.

After a moment of debate, Jean stood up with new determination. He joined them, his heart thumping at the smile Armin gave him and decided then and there that Eren was right.

**Author's Note:**

> Precious babies. See, I told you. I told you this was coming and here it is. My ot3. 
> 
> I'm still behind. @.@ I will do all the days, they just probably won't be when the days actually happen considering the last day is tomorrow and i still have 3 days to do!
> 
> Tbh, this was just an excuse to do a pokemon au
> 
> Thanks for reading! Please, let me know what you thought!
> 
> ~Addy~


End file.
